Chain saws are highly effective and portable motorized cutting tools. Chain saws include gasoline or electric powered motors that typically provide one to three kilowatts of power. This power is sufficient to cut through over 100 square inches of solid wood in a short period of time. As a result, chains saws are particularly effective in reducing tree trunks, large tree branches, or other large objects with diameters greater than three inches into easily transportable segments. These large objects are sufficiently dense and contain sufficient mass so as to remain stationary when being cut by the chain saw.
However, 20%-50% of the organic matter of every tree includes smaller objects with diameters less than three inches such as tree limbs, smaller tree branches, and twigs collectively referred to as “brush”. Brush is much less dense than the larger segments of a tree. Typically, a large segment of a typical hardwood (e.g., deciduous) has a density of approximately 40 lb/cf3 (pounds per cubic foot), a large segment of a typical softwood (e.g., coniferous) has a density of approximately 30 lb/cf3, and when stacked as a cord of wood, the density is approximately 34 lb/cf3 and 22 lb/cf3 respectively, due to about 15% void space. A pile of brush has an approximate density of one to two lb/cf3 depending on the species of wood, moisture content, irregular shape, and stacking of the brush pile.
The thinner, lighter, and less dense brush is susceptible to movement when engaged by the chain saw. Specifically, when the cutting teeth of the chain saw make contact with the brush, they drag or whip the smaller branches and twigs. This movement does not allow for effective cutting of the brush and may cause injury to the chain saw operator or others in the immediate area. As a result, chain saws are not currently used to cut brush.
Having an effective means to cut brush reduces the volume of the brush making it easier for transport. Additionally, cut brush can serve as a valuable fuel source. Rather than disposing of brush at a waste or dump where it biodegrades over time, brush can be burned in furnaces and stoves when cut to an appropriate length. Also, the cut segments may be used to produce biochar and other forms of charcoal.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a chain saw attachment to effectively cut brush and other small objects without obstructing the chain saw from cutting larger objects simultaneously. It is further an objective of the present invention to provide a chain saw attachment that converts brush into fuel of an appropriate length for burning in a furnace of stove and for producing biochar and other forms of charcoal.